Device and Method of Engaging a Solo-Operated Sterile Gown

ABSTRACT

A method of donning a pre-folded medical gown, including receiving the sterile medical gown, wherein the medical gown includes two sleeves, a first sleeve for the user&#39;s left arm and a second sleeve for the user&#39;s right arm, a back, wherein the back includes a back slot on the back surface of the pre-folded medical gown, a front, inserting both of a user&#39;s hands into the back vertical slot, expanding both of the user&#39;s hands, while inside the medical gown, into the two sleeves until the user&#39;s arms are fully engaged in the two sleeves, and pressing an outer surface of the front of the medical gown to press the at least one adhesive strip onto the user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/101,421, filed Apr. 30, 2020, which application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention broadly relates to a medical gown, more specifically to a method of donning a medical gown, and even more particularly to a method of a user donning a medical gown without assistance by others.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Medical gowns are hospital gowns worn by medical professionals as personal protective equipment to provide a barrier between patient and professional and reduce germs from passing to the patient. Whereas patient gowns are flimsy often with exposed backs and arms, PPE gowns cover most of the exposed skin surfaces of the professionals.

A surgical gown is intended to be worn by health care personnel during surgical procedures. Surgical isolation gowns are used when there is a medium to high risk of contamination and a need for larger critical zones of protection. Non-surgical gowns are worn in low or minimal risk situations.

For a medical professional to wear, or don, a medical gown, the professional requires the assistance of another person (e.g. a nurse assisting a surgeon). The helper will hold open the gown and let the user insert her hands through the back of the gown, into the sleeves, and then tied the draw string (or other securing mechanism) of the gown to secure the gown to the user. The present configuration of medical gowns require a helper to put on the gown to make sure the user remains sterile. There is a need to have a solo operated medical gown, with reduced steps to don the medical gown by the user.

As can be derived from the variety of devices and methods directed at putting on a medical gown, many means have been contemplated to accomplish the desired end, i.e., a single user being able to don a medical gown directly. Heretofore, tradeoffs between sterileness and outside support were required. Thus, there is a long-felt need for a single user donned medical gown. There is a further long-felt need for a single user donned medical gown with adhesive strips.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention broadly comprises a method of donning a pre-folded medical gown, including receiving the sterile medical gown, wherein the medical gown includes two sleeves, a first sleeve for the user's left arm and a second sleeve for the user's right arm, a back, wherein the back includes a back slot on the back surface of the pre-folded medical gown, a front, inserting both of a user's hands into the back vertical slot, expanding both of the user's hands, while inside the medical gown, into the two sleeves until the user's arms are fully engaged in the two sleeves, and pressing an outer surface of the front of the medical gown to press the at least one adhesive strip onto the user.

In a further embodiment, the method of donning a medical gown, including inserting a user's first hand into a back slot of the medical gown, inserting a user's second hand into the back slot of the medical gown, continuing the user's first hand into a first sleeve though a first cuff, continuing the user's second hand into a second sleeve through a second cuff, pressing at least one adhesive strip located on the medical gown onto the user.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a medical gown, including a front, wherein the front comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, a back, a back slot, two sleeves, a first sleeve and a second sleeve, and at least one adhesive strip on the inner surface of the front.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciable from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the accompanying drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a medical gown in an unfolded position.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the invention shown in FIG. 1 in a folded position.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the user engaging the invention shown in FIG. 1 with her hands.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the user with her hands completely engaged with the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the user pressing the outer portion of the medical gown to adhere the adhesive to the user's undergarment.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the user removing the invention shown in FIG. 1 using a single hand.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the user removing the invention shown in FIG. 1 using a single hand.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the invention shown in FIG. 1 showing the user preparing to don the medical gown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers on different drawing views identify identical, or functionally similar, structural elements of the invention. While the present invention is described with respect to what is presently considered to be the preferred aspects, it is to be understood that the invention as claimed is not limited to the disclosed aspects.

Furthermore, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the particular methodology, materials and modifications described and as such may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the appended claims.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It should be appreciated that the term “gown” is synonymous with terms such as “scrubs”, “garb”, “smock”, etc., and such terms may be used interchangeably as appearing in the specification and claims. Although any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the preferred methods, devices, and materials are now described.

Adverting now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a medical gown 100 in an unfolded position. The medical gown includes a first sleeve 102, second sleeve 104, and front 106. Front 106 includes an outer surface 108 and inner surface 110 (shown in FIG. 8). Adhesive strips 112 are secured to the inner surface 110 of the front 106.

In FIGS. 1-8, the adhesive strips 112 for the medical gown 100 are shown as two horizontal rectangular strips. In an exemplary embodiment, the adhesive strip 112 is a singular shape, such as a circle, oval, square, or similar shape. While the term strip is used in adhesive strip 112, the adhesive strip 112 is not confined to the shape of a strip and can take the form of any shape to adhere the medical gown 100 to the user. In an exemplary embodiment, adhesive strip 112 is another securing mechanism, such as hoop and loop type fasteners.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the medical gown 100 in a pre-folded position 200. The pre-folded position 200 of the medical gown 100 allows the user to don the medical gown 100 without the aid of another person. The user is able to don the medical gown 100 by herself. The term don is defined as being able to take an existing garment, e.g. the medical gown 100, and put the garment onto the user's body. The medical gown 100 is configured in such a manner as to allow a user to don the medical gown 100, in a pre-folded position 200, without assistance, unlike current gowns that require the assistance of another person to help the user put on the garment. Because the medical gown 100 is sterile to maintain the requirement of a medical facility, the less people touching the medical gown 100 reduces the introduction of foreign particles into the clean medical environment and reduces the risk of patient infection due to foreign debris or particles.

A user receives a sterile medical gown 100 in a pre-folded position 200. As shown in FIG. 3, the user inserts her first hand 302 through back slot 304 of back 308 and then inserts her second hand 306 through the back slot 304. In an exemplary embodiment, the user inserts her first hand 302 and second hand 304 into back slot 304 at the same time, i.e. contemporaneously. The back slot 304 is shown as a vertical configuration on back 308 to best accommodate the entry of the user's first hand 302 and second hand 306. In an exemplary embodiment, the back slot 304 is configured in a diagonal or horizontal configuration. The back slot 304 also offers ventilation to provide cooler operating room conditions, which results in a positive impact to patient temperature metrics.

Once the user's first hand 302 and second hand 306 are inserted into back slot 304, the user's first hand 302 or continues through first sleeve 102 and the user's second hand 306 continues through second sleeve 104. The action of continuing the user's hands 302, 306 through sleeves 102, 104 is referred to as expanding. As shown in FIG. 4, the user's hands 302, 306 are fully engaged through the medical gown 100 when the first hand 302 extends past first cuff 402 and second hand 306 extends past second cuff 404.

To secure the medical gown 100 to the user, the user uses one or both hands 302, 306 to press on the outer surface 108 of front 106. See FIG. 5. The user presses the outer surface 108 at an area opposite of the placement of the adhesive strips 112 located on the inner surface 110 of medical gown 100. When the user presses the outer surface 108, the pressure causes the adhesive strip 112 onto the user 400. In an exemplary embodiment, the user is wearing an undershirt 702 or similar garment so the adhesive strips 112 adhere to the undershirt 702, thereby securing the medical gown 100 to the user 400. As detailed herein, the size and shape of adhesive strips 112 vary. The critical aspect is that the adhesive strips 112 have enough surface area to secure medical gown 100 to the user 400.

Adhesive strips 112 include a protective backing (not depicted). One side of the adhesive strips 112 are secured to the inner surface 110 of the front 106. The opposite side of the adhesive strips 112, which faces the user 400 and optionally the user's undershirt 702 (or similar under garment), includes a layer of removable backing to protective the adhesive surface of the adhesive strip 112. The backing provides assurances that the medical gown 100 is sealed and sterile. The optimal time to remove the backing is immediately prior to the user 400 inserting her hands 302, 306 into the back slot 304 to don the medical gown 100.

While a backing is detailed herein, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a process in which the medical gown 100 is donned without a backing on the adhesive strips 112. Certain adhesives, such as 3M, do not impact packaging and use without a backing.

In FIG. 6, the user 400 uses one of her hands 302, 306 to remove the medical gown 100 from her body. The user 400 pulls the front of the medical 100 away from her body, which results in medical gown 100 being extricated from the user.

In FIG. 7, the user 400 places the used medical gown 100 into a garbage 700. The medical gown 100 is a single use garment. Once the user 400 is done using the medical gown, she removes the medical gown 100 from her body and deposits the medical gown 100 in the garbage 700. This shows how the user 400 can receive, put on, and remove the medical gown 100 without assistance. Unlike current medical gowns that require the assistance of a second person to assist the user in donning the medical gown, the present invention is donned by the user 400 herself, without external assistance.

FIG. 8 illustrates the user 400 wearing an undershirt 702, and the adhesive strips 112 on the inner surface 110 of the medical down 100, viewable through the back slot 304. As described herein, when the user 400 dons the medical gown 100, she presses the outer surface 108, which results in the adhesives strips 112 being secured to the user 400 directly, or through her undershirt 702.

Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

1. A method of donning a medical gown by a single user, comprising: receiving the medical gown, wherein the medical gown includes: two sleeves, a first sleeve and a second sleeve; a back, wherein the back includes a back slot on a back surface of the medical gown; a front; inserting both of the single user's hands into the back slot contemporaneously; expanding both of the single user's hands, while inside the medical gown, into the two sleeves and past each cuff located at the end of each sleeve; and pressing by the single user of an outer surface of the front of the medical gown to press at least two adhesive strips onto the single user.
 2. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the medical gown is pre-folded.
 3. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the medical gown is sterile.
 4. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive strip is one of the following: rectangular, circular, or square.
 5. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive strip is pressed onto an undershirt worn by the user.
 6. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the back slot is in the vertical direction.
 7. (canceled)
 8. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the user presses the outer surface of the front of the medical gown using one of the user's hands to secure the at least one adhesive strip to the user.
 9. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive strip is located on an inner surface of the front of the medical gown.
 10. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the user removes a backing on the adhesive side of the at least one adhesive strip.
 11. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 10, wherein the user removes the backing when the user inserts the user's hands into the back slot.
 12. A method of donning a medical gown by a single user, consisting of: inserting a user's first hand into a back slot of the medical gown; inserting a user's second hand into the back slot of the medical gown; continuing the user's first hand into a first sleeve through a first cuff; continuing the user's second hand into a second sleeve through a second cuff; wherein the user's first hand and second hand continue through the first sleeve and the second sleeve contemporaneously; pressing at least one adhesive strip located on the medical gown onto the user.
 13. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 12, wherein the medical gown is pre-folded.
 14. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the pre-folded medical gown is sterile.
 15. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the back slot is in the vertical direction.
 16. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein until the user's hands travel past cuffs of the medical down.
 17. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive strip is located on an inner surface of the front of the medical gown.
 18. The method of donning a medical gown as recited in claim 1, wherein the user removes a backing on the adhesive side of the at least one adhesive strip. 